Summary of "Why do I play solo rpgs | What are the best and worst parts of solo play?"

Overview

Turk shares his “origin story” for why he plays solo TTRPGs, with a recurring offhand cameo/mention of Macaroni/Megie’s presence. He starts with years of weekly group play on Twitch, then moves toward solo play simply because he wanted more systems, more dice, and fewer scheduling obstacles.

He explains how discovering Mythic GME 2e made solo play feel possible for essentially any RPG. Early solo sessions began as looser, vibes-based experiments (Mor(ck)borg-style), and gradually evolved into more structured, story-driven solo campaigns.

The Big Stigma He Pushes Back On

A recurring joke in the story is that Turk’s old group didn’t initially “get” solo RPGs. The stigma frames solo play as not being “real roleplaying,” as if it’s just creative writing.

Turk counters this directly: if you’re using mechanics—especially dice rolls and oracles—then you’re playing a game.

Turning Point: YouTube Changes Everything

A practical YouTube moment shifts his approach. Recording his early solo sessions (starting with Index Card RPG) improved his focus and storytelling because he treated the recording like a responsibility—silencing his phone, using voices, and more.

He expected little attention, but the videos performed better than anticipated, especially because comments revealed viewers didn’t even realize solo roleplay could work that way. That feedback motivated him to make solo play more visible, particularly through niche/indie systems rather than trying to chase mainstream titles.

“Best Parts” Breakdown (Emotional + Structural)

Freedom from scheduling, and from teaching rules to other players.
More systems, more often: instead of playing a single system infrequently, he bounces between systems regularly.
Prep time doesn’t go to waste: group prep can get canceled, but in solo play what he plans/readies gets used immediately.
Discovery + creativity balance: Mythic-style oracles (keywords that help build scenes) paired with character goals creates a satisfying loop.
Storytelling at the core: he loves developing characters and uncovering worlds as both player and GM.

Least Favorite Approach

Surprisingly, Turk’s “least favorite” stance is toward journaling-style solo games that rely on prompts to write scenes without stats/combat/items. He finds them too open-ended and feels they don’t deliver the same “game” feeling for him.

Downsides (and How He Partially Replaces Them)

He admits missing group camaraderie—things like shared table laughter, NPC-banter, and the creative spark of multiple people collaborating.

To partially replace that, he leans on YouTube community feedback, including comments that end up influencing his campaigns (e.g., NPC name suggestions and even printed charts).

Solo Play, Mental Health, and Problem-Solving

A more personal highlight connects solo campaigns to mental health and working through real issues. Turk says his solo stories often mirror parts of his life—especially in his Walking Dead series—where character relationships and trauma themes reflect experiences he’s navigating.

He frames solo play as a constructive way to process problems and handle unpredictability, and emphasizes that openly discussing it matters for reducing stigma.

Future Direction

He’ll likely return to group play only with the right people/system/timing—but never again wants to endure heavy 10-hour prep that might get wasted.
He will never stop solo roleplaying.
His mission is to show that you can play TTRPGs alone—like single-player games, but called solo RPGs—and to share ideas without claiming there’s one “right” way to do it.

Main Personalities Mentioned (End of Video)

Turk (host/solo RPG creator)
Macaroni (named as “This is Macaroni,” likely a pet/companion presence)
Megie (mentioned directly as “Good boy… Thank you,” likely also a pet/companion)